New Sulcata Foster Parent, Would Appreciate Advice!

[Destben]

The basking spot should be at 95 at least. the ambient temp should be in the 80's. Sounds like hes doing a lot better!

 

[madbad]

Ok this thing needs to be really close to get a correct reading! close up his carapace is at 101 surface temp just outside focal point is 95 and ambient is 83 as read by a digital probe meat thermometer left in the enclosure until it came to ambient.

 

[madbad]

whats a good temp for the cool side of the tank?

 

[TechnoCheese]

whats a good temp for the cool side of the tank?

No lower than 80

 

[Bambam1989]

whats a good temp for the cool side of the tank?

The coolest area if your enclosure should not be lower than 80 F. For example, the coolest temp in my enclosure reads 84f.

 

[TechnoCheese]

The coolest area if your enclosure should not be lower than 80 F. For example, the coolest temp in my enclosure reads 84f.

Oh hey, I think we posted at the same time, lol

 

[Bambam1989]

Oh hey, I think we posted at the same time, lol

Yes we did! [emoji12] Lol

 

[madbad]

I think the cold side of the tank may be a bit too cold I'm getting readings in the mid 70's under the hide on the cool end...The ceramic heat emitter is going to be here day after tomorrow.

Any Ideas to keep him warm until then? I have a medical heating pad, but that sounds like it could be a fire hazard and possibly too hot.

Bags of hot water against the outside of his enclosure maybe?

Now I'm afraid that his tank is getting too cold at night too. I'll have to check it on the way to the bathroom if i get up in the middle of the night LOL!

 

[madbad]

Last night before bed I wrapped his enclosure in blankets and put a 44w medical heating pad under the enclosure on the opposite side from where the tort was sleeping. I then plugged the heating pad into a timer (its a medical pad so it turned itself every 10 minutes or so) so it would come on once an hour.

This morning Tank seems more active this morning which leads me to believe he was happy with the situation.

The Ceramic Heat Emitter is going to be here earlier than I expected so tonight should be a nice warm night for Tank the Tort.

Thank god for amazon prime.

 

[vladimir]

Keep us posted!

 

[madbad]

The wire will work fine if you cover where the lamp is not as you described. Do you Cheapo lamps have ceramic sockets? It’s not safe to use a heat light that big in a plastic lamp socket. 160w is a very big bulb it may be more then you need in anything but a very large enclosure

Thanks again for the tip here! I picked up an HDX heavy duty heat lamp from Home Depot with a ceramic socket rated for up to 250w it is raining light down on him now.

He had a very healthy day, he was up and moving before I was thanks to the timer on the lights. 2 normal bowel movements, and he still making me laugh by digging everywhere, he's like a little mole, sometimes all i can see is his shell moving through the substrate

Still waiting on the bulb upgrades.

 

[madbad]

I got both the UVC bulb and the CHE and I promptly tried to cook my tort.

He is fine, thank god, but I checked the tank's temp when both were on, and the ambient had gotten up to 110. I immediately vented the tank and misted everything down to dissipate heat. I'm so glad I didn't go out or anything last night.

I'm still waiting on the thermostat for the CHE so I have been religiously checking the temps today to make sure nothing else like that happens.

On a happier note everything else is in place in the new enclosure and he went in today after his soak (I started the lamps heating it up while he was taking his bath.) He seems pretty comfortable already as he has be munching down and crawling all through his water dish and just generally making a mess of things!

I also caught him eating something besides kale for the first time today, he tested some collard greens, he's still a picky lil guy.

Thank you guys so much for all of the support, I don't think this guy would be too happy with out the knowledge base you folks have created here!

 

[madbad]

OMG ! 63.8 Grams today. That's more than 10 grams in 5 days. I have to imagine that is mostly water weight right? LMAO

 

[madbad]

I got both the UVC bulb and the CHE

Sorry I meant a UVB bulb lol

 

[Kristy1970]

OMG ! 63.8 Grams today. That's more than 10 grams in 5 days. I have to imagine that is mostly water weight right? LMAO

Wow! Are you feeding him miracle grow [emoji23][emoji217][emoji6]

 

[madbad]

Wow! Are you feeding him miracle grow [emoji23][emoji217][emoji6]

He was pretty dehydrated when I got him, 10 grams is only 10 ml of water, I figure that has to be it.

 

[Destben]

He was pretty dehydrated when I got him, 10 grams is only 10 ml of water, I figure that has to be it.

It might be partially weight too. My tort (it’s a leopard tortoise) gains a gram a day most of the time.

 

[Bambam1989]

It's very easy to believe your tort gained that much. I went back to my records on my sulcata's weight in November.
Mine went from 67g to 77g in a week and then the next week reached 90g.
That was 23g in 2weeks.
When receiving proper care they grow VERY quickly.

 

[Destben]

It's very easy to believe your tort gained that much. I went back to my records on my sulcata's weight in November.
Mine went from 67g to 77g in a week and then the next week reached 90g.
That was 23g in 2weeks.
When receiving proper care they grow VERY quickly.

This is why you should weigh at the same time of day and only after a soak and I nice size #2. My tort let 10g of #2 out once.

 

[Bambam1989]

This is why you should weigh at the same time of day and only after a soak and I nice size #2. My tort let 10g of #2 out once.

I agree. I weigh every Saturday, in the morning after a poop inducing soak. This is done before any food is offered also.